Money is a funny thing.
It provides for a roof over my head, food on the table, movie tickets, concert tickets, my car, and gas. Plus, anything extra I feel like paying for. It's a system for barter between consumers and businesses. I'll give you this for that. The decisions I make are based purely on value.

And don't forget about building wealth.

As a young professional, I've noticed how many major purchases are ahead of me: car, house, kids, education, etc. These are purchases made in addition to mandatory living expenses. They don't all have to happen. I could stay single for the rest of my life, live in an apartment, and have no kids.

I'd save a ton of money & my happiness would plummet.

Is that the life I want to live? Am I saving too much money? Should I be having tons of fun and only saving 20% of my paycheck? Some would say that's not even a question. But for me it is.

I don't go out to eat a lot, I don't go on extravagant vacations, I don't drive much outside my normal commute, I don't have cable, I don't spend more than $40 a week on food, and for fun I (mostly) do free things on the weekends. Am I sacrificing fun for saving? Maybe.

I realize there are millions of people who can't save a penny. They live paycheck to paycheck. And sometimes they don't eat. I can't imagine what that's like. I'm fortunate I'm able to save the money I do. I wish I could save more. So, why am I confused.

I want to know what I'm saving for? An uncertain future?

It seems like being young and "financially free" is both a blessing and a curse.